Floating reversible strut



A. W. HAWKINS.

FLOATING REVERSIBLE STRUT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, I920.

Patented Aug. 16,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. I920.

7 n w m m 2 i z K M M E in is usually held.

UNITED STATES PrsNrosr esp ARTHUR W. HAWKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO -RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OE ILLINOIS.

FLOATING REVERSIBLE STRUT.

To all whom z'tma z concern: I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR l/V. HAW- KINS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Floating Reversible Struts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 'whichit app'ertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which,- v

F 'gure 1 is a top plan view of my improved reversible strut.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same. V F ig.'3 is a sectional view'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Figs is a top plan view of a modified form of strut.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the same.

Fig. 6 is a front elevationalview of the same. 7 v

Fig.7 is a top plan view of another modified form of strut.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the form shown in Fig. 7.

Fig.9 is a detail View showing a modified form of connection between the strut and the compression member. V

Fig. 10 is a top plan View ofanother modified form of strut.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line 1111 of Fig. 10; g V

Fig. 12is another modified form of strut.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in reversible struts for brake beams, being particularly adapted. to trussed brake beams, the object being to enable. the strut to be thrown from left to right to suit requirements without removal of the fastening devices. Stops are provided at one or both ends of the strut to arrest it at the limit of its throw, 2'. e., the forty degree angle at which the brake lever By this construction, it might be said that the strut, in addition to being reversible, is floating, in that it will accommodate itself within the forty degree angle of its throw to any irregularities in the pull on Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d A 15., 1 21 Application filed May 24, 1920. Serial No. 383,746. 7

In the drawings, 1 indicates the compres- I sion member of a brake beam, shown in this instance as a channel withv its flanges presented inwardly, and. 2 is the tension rod, shown in this instance as a round bar or rod, although of course the cross sectional contour of the compression and tension members may be changed and my improved floating strut attachedto such a changed construction without departing from the nature and spirit ,of my invention.

3 is the middle or shank portion of the strut having the usual brake lever slot 4 and pin hole openings 5. The outer end of the strut is formed with a recess through I wliich the compression memberpasses, or in other words, it may be said. that in the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the outer end of the strut embraces the compression memher, there being a rivet 6 passing through the web of the compression member and the outer wall 7 of the recess. The cross connecting walls 8 are formed with two angularly disposed members, the inner faces of which are designed to engage the compression member on opposite sides of said com-.

pressionmember to determine and arrest the strut in its throw to a fortydegree angular position either right or left. The inner end of the strut is also formed with a recess for receiving the tension member, the cross connecting walls 9 of which are formed with angularwalls whose "inner faces are designed to engage the top and bottom faces of the tension rod to assist in holding the strut in its forty either right or left.

. In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I have shown a modi- I fied form ofstrut in which the outer end of the strut is open, 2'. 6., it is not provided with, a front wall embracing the compres sion member, as shownin Figs. 1 to 3, but is provided with a trunnion 10, such'as is shown in Fig. 4, having a rivet l0 centrally arranged with respect thereto for holding the trunnion in position in the compression member. The inner end of the strut has L-shaped extensions or walls -11 arranged degree angular position,.

above and below the tension member which determine the forty degree angular position of the strut. I

The above forms of my invention are preferably made of castings, but in Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a forged strut 3". Strut 3". has a front wall forming a recess which receives the tension member, the walls of said recess entirely embracing the same.

Fig. 7 is substantially like Fig. 1 and Fig. 8 is substantially like Fig. ,5 except that in the structures shown in Figs. 7 and 8, forging can be resorted to in its production.

In Fig. 9, I have shown a detail wherein instead of a rivet being employed to center the strut relative to the compression member, a bolt 12 may be used.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I have shown another 'modification in which the strut is composed.

.11. These anti-clinal walls constitute stops for arresting the central or slotted portion 16, of the strut, which may be a forging, or for that matter may be made of old metal and embossed pin holes 17 The forward legs of this reversible portion of the strut receives a lug 18 extending inwardly from casting 19 embracing the tension rod, the said casting 19 having anti-clinal walls for engaging the upper and lower faces of the tension rod to assist in holding the strut in its angular position.

i In Fig. 12, I have shown a one piece forged strut which is substant'ally the same as the form shown in Fig. 1, except that the walls of the strut members 3 are spaced apart by a spacing bar20heldin position by a rivet 21. The seat for the tension member may be a separate piece or forging 22 having projections with anti-clinal faces for engaging the upper and lower faces of the tension r'odQ-to determine the forty degree angular position of the strut, said seat member having a lug extending between the legs of thestrut and being held in position therein by a rivet 23. I

What I claim is: r i

1. A reversible. strut rotatably :mounted with respect to the tension and compression members of the brake beam and provided with stops for arresting and determining the forty degree angular position of the strut when moved for use in either a right or lefthand position. 1

2. A reversible strut forbrake beams having a recess in its outer end, the top and bottom walls of which recess are formed with anti-clinalfaces designed to cooperate with'the top and bottom faces of the com pression member of the beam to arrest the strut and determine the forty degree angular position thereof. c

3. A reversible strut for brake beams formed with a seat for the tension rod, said strut having wa ls extending above and below said tension rod formed with anti-clinal faces for engaging the upper and lower faces of the tension rod to arrest the strut and determine the forty degree angular position thereof, either right or left.

1. A, reversible strut for brake beams comprising a member secured to the compression member of the beam, said member having a recess provided with anti-clinal walls for arresting and determining the angular position of the reversible portions of the strut, the reversible portion of the strut having a cross member arranged in said recess and free to move therein, and a seat for the tension member formed with alug secured between the legs of the slot forming the walls of the strut, said tension member seat having anti-clinal faces arranged above and below the tension member for assisting in holding the reversible portions of the strut in their angularly adjusted position either right or left.

5. A floating one-piece reversible strut r0- tatably mounted-with respect to the tension and compression members of the brake beam and provided with integral stops at one end for arresting and determining the fortydegree angular position of the strut when moved for use in either a right or left hand position.

6. A floating one-piece reversible strut rotatably mounted with respect to the tension and compression members of the brake beam and provided with an integral stop at each end for cooperating with the tension and compression members, respecively, whereby the forty-degree angular position of the strut when moved for use in either the right or left hand position, is determined and the strut is arrested in such position.

.111 testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this seventeenth day of May, 1920. ARTHUR V. HAWKINS. 

